Tag Archives: David Nathan

Teddy Pendergrass: Life Is a Song Worth Singing

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On June 2, 1978, “Philadelphia International Records” label released “Life Is a Song Worth Singing”, the second Teddy Pendergrass studio album. It was recorded 1977 – 1978, at “Sigma Sound Studios” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was produced by Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Victor Carstarphen and Sherman Marshall.

Personnel:

  • Teddy Pendergrass – vocal
  • Thom Bell – arranger
  • Jack Faith – arranger
  • Dexter Wansel – arranger
  • John Usry – arranger
  • Jerry Block – engineer
  • Jay Mark – engineer
  • Jim Gallagher – engineer
  • Arthur Stoppe – engineer
  • Joe Tarisa – engineer
  • Peter Humphreys – engineer assistant
  • Darrell Rogers – engineer assistant
  • Rocky Schnaars – engineer assistant
  • Jeffrey Stewart – engineer assistant
  • Mike Tarisa – engineer assistant
  • Ed Lee – design
  • Phyllis H. B. – design
  • Ronald G. Harris – photography
  • David Nathan – liner notes
  • Pam Brady – production coordinator
  • Margaret Goldfarb – production coordinator
  • Cheryl Pawelski – production coordinator

Track listing:

All tracks by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, except where noted.

  1. Life Is a Song Worth Singing – Thom Bell, Linda Creed
  2. Only You
  3. Cold, Cold World – Victor Carstarphen, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead
  4. Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose
  5. Close the Door
  6. It Don’t Hurt Now – Sherman Marshall, Ted Wortham
  7. When Somebody Loves You Back

Aretha Franklin: Young, Gifted And Black

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ArethaFranklinYoung,Gifted&Black

On January 24, 1972, “Atlantic” label released “Young, Gifted and Black”, the nineteenth Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded August 1970 – February 1971, and was produced by Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin and Jerry Wexler. In 1972, the album won Aretha Franklin “Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance”. In 2003, the TV network “VH1” ranked it the 76th greatest album of all time.

Personnel:

  • Aretha Franklin – lead vocals, acoustic piano, celesta, electric piano
  • Don Arnone – acoustic guitar
  • Cornell Dupree- guitar
  • Hugh McCracken- guitar
  • Donny Hathaway- organ, electric piano
  • Billy Preston- organ
  • Eric Gale- bass
  • Chuck Rainey- bass
  • Robert Popwell- bass, percussion
  • Bernard “Pretty” Purdie- drums
  • Al Jackson, Jr.- drums
  • Ray Lucas – drums
  • The Memphis Horns- horn section
  • Andrew Love (of the Memphis Horns) – tenor saxophone
  • Neal Rosengarden – trumpet, vibraphone
  • Wayne Jackson (of the Memphis Horns) – trumpet
  • Hubert Laws- flute
  • Tom Dowd- horn arrangements
  • Pat Smith – backing vocals
  • Ronald Bright – backing vocals
  • R. Bailey – backing vocals
  • Carolyn Franklin- backing vocals
  • Erma Franklin- backing vocals
  • Margaret Branch – backing vocals
  • Ann S. Clark – backing vocals
  • The Sweet Inspirations- backing vocals
  • Sammy Turner – backing vocals
  • Stanislaw Zagorski – cover design
  • David Nathan – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby) – Jim Doris
  2. Day Dreaming – Aretha Franklin
  3. Rock Steady – Aretha Franklin
  4. Young, Gifted and Black – Weldon Irvine, Nina Simone
  5. All the King’s Horses – Aretha Franklin
  6. A Brand New Me – Theresa Bell, Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble
  7. April Fools – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
  8. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long – Jerry Butler, Otis Redding
  9. First Snow in Kokomo – Aretha Franklin
  10. The Long and Winding Road – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  11. Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time) – Thom Bell, William Hart
  12. Border Song (Holy Moses) – Bernie Taupin, Elton John